Buying a Rebuilt Prius

Hello, I'm a couple hours North of you and would be willing to help... Most important thing is to find out what was rebuilt. Sometimes it's a minor accident, which is ideal, sometimes it's flood damage, which is a hard NO!

Other thing to find out about is hybrid battery... I work on these and if it's original battery with no warning lights that's a good sign. Or replace with brand new, that's even better. But if battery has been "refurbished" or "rebuilt" that's going to be way more problematic.

Please let us know more once you learn more?

 

Your location says Portland, so I am not familiar with how auction sales work in your state. If it was here, its usually buyer beware. Plus, a Gen II Prius should have had at least one new traction battery buy not. There are Priuschat peeps in here that live in your area so should you decide to buy it, I would come back here and get the low down on how to go over the car.

 

If you own a skinny little snaky camera (and if you don't you can get little USB ones for your phone or laptop, no more than $30, I've been pleased with Depstech), poke it up in the steering wheel through the rubber around the cruise control switch, where you are hoping to not see something like this:



Some of the other airbaggy places might be inspectable with a skinny snaky camera too, if a little less easily.

 

i wouldn't pay more than i could afford to lose. as it is, a 2007 without salvage is a likely money pit, unless you are a top notch diy mech

 

Leather seats though he's already in love. Just another PC'er lookin' for a deal. We got lots of them here. There all over in the Maintenance and Repair forum.

But if you can do it DIY sometimes its worth it. If you are going to have to take it to the dealer it will kill you at $150 an hour.

Also check with your present insurance company and ask them how they feel about insuring a salvage car and also the DMV how much of a hassle it is to register a salvaged car. Some states its difficult.

ey get under the front of the car and take some pictures of the suspension and then do the same in the rear end. Liked to see how well a 2007 does in that climate. And it may be pretty on the shiny side its the other side you have to worry about.